Press Release - Des Moines Marathon - 1/7/03

                                        Contact:  Des Moines Marathon
                                                  Helene Neville 
                                                  Executive Director
                                                  (515) 288-2692


           Helene Neville Awarded Runner's World Golden Shoe 
		
January 7, 2003 - Des Moines, Iowa - Runner's World magazine has awarded
Helene Neville its Bob Rodale Golden Shoe Award for her development of the 
Des Moines Marathon. The February issue of the magazine includes coverage 
of the award, including acknowledgement of Neville's dedication to bringing
a world-class event to Des Moines.

Senior Editor Eileen Shovlin commented, "Helene is an ideal winner of the 
Golden Shoe award. We want to recognize how well the Des Moines Marathon did
in its first year, and the way Helene brought the community together to pull
it off."

"I'm honored by this recognition by Runner's World," said Helene Neville. 
"I'm proud of what we accomplished in the inaugural Des Moines Marathon. And
I'm looking forward to our 2003 event."

The article quotes Neville, "We want to double the numbers [this] year, and 
make it even better. If we can host a world-class event out here in the 
middle of Iowa, people will come, and they'll return with their friends and
families again and again. As I keep telling people: 'This place ain't no 
cornfield!'"

The Bob Rodale Golden Shoe Award is presented monthly by Runner's World to 
recognize leaders in the running community. The first Golden Shoe Award was
given in 1989 to race legend Dr. George Sheehan.

About the Des Moines Marathon
The 2nd Annual Des Moines Marathon will be held October 3-5, 2003. The 
marathon will start in downtown Des Moines at 8 a.m., Sunday, October 5. 
Marathon weekend will be a three-day celebration of sports, fitness, health
and wellness, including a Marathon expo, pasta dinner and post-race 
celebration. To find out more about the Des Moines Marathon check out
http://www.desmoinesmarathon.com on the Web or call (515) 710-8343.

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